dotfiles

Personal dotfiles managed with chezmoi.

chezmoi keeps two copies of your configuration:

• Home directory: the files your applications use, such as ~/.bashrc.
• Source directory: this Git repository, normally ~/.local/share/chezmoi. chezmoi stores ~/.bashrc as dot_bashrc and ~/.config as dot_config.

chezmoi add copies files from home into the repo. chezmoi apply writes the repo's configuration back to home. Commit and push to back up changes on GitHub; this repo's chezmoi configuration disables automatic commits and pushes.

Add and back up dotfiles

On a machine where this repo is already initialized, add an existing file:

chezmoi add ~/.bashrc

To add a directory and its contents instead:

chezmoi add --recursive ~/.config/zed

Use home-directory paths with chezmoi; it handles the source filenames for you. Adding a file updates the local repo only. To back it up remotely, enter the source directory and commit the files you added:

chezmoi cd
git status --short
git diff -- dot_bashrc
git add -- dot_bashrc
git diff --cached
git commit -m "chore(bash): back up shell configuration"
git push
exit

For the Zed example, use dot_config/zed in the Git commands and a suitable commit message. Review newly added files before staging them; git diff does not show untracked files. chezmoi cd starts a shell in the source directory, and exit returns to your previous shell.

Update dotfiles in the repo

Edit the repo's copy through chezmoi, using the corresponding home path:

chezmoi edit ~/.bashrc
chezmoi diff ~/.bashrc
chezmoi --dry-run --verbose apply ~/.bashrc
chezmoi apply ~/.bashrc

chezmoi edit changes the source file. The application-facing file changes when you run chezmoi apply. You can also edit dot_bashrc directly in this repo, then use the same preview and apply commands.

If you already edited ~/.bashrc directly, capture that version in the repo:

chezmoi add ~/.bashrc

Then use the commit-and-push steps above to save either kind of update. git diff shows changes in the repo; chezmoi diff shows what applying the repo would change in your home directory. Capture home-directory edits before applying if you want to keep them.

Install dotfiles on a new laptop

Install Git and curl with your system's package manager. Then install chezmoi with the official installer:

sh -c "$(curl -fsLS https://get.chezmoi.io)" -- -b "$HOME/.local/bin"
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
chezmoi --version

Ensure ~/.local/bin is also in your shell's PATH for future sessions. Set up a GitHub SSH key with access to this repo, then clone it through chezmoi:

chezmoi init git@github.com:eagleusb/dotfiles.git

This initializes the source directory without applying the dotfiles. Review the changes against the laptop's existing files, then apply them:

chezmoi diff
chezmoi --dry-run --verbose apply
chezmoi apply

Restart your shell or affected applications to load their new configuration.

Pull updates on an existing laptop

First capture, commit, and push any local changes you want to keep using the steps above. Then pull the latest repo changes, preview them, and apply:

chezmoi git pull -- --rebase
chezmoi diff
chezmoi apply

If Git reports a conflict or the pull fails, resolve it before applying. When you want to pull and apply immediately, use the shortcut:

chezmoi update

See chezmoi's quick start and daily operations for more examples.